Abstract: A wideband antenna for use portable radio devices, and methods for operating the same. In one embodiment, a monopole antenna is used within a laptop computing device. The antenna comprises a monopole radiator coupled to an auxiliary ground plane element, and is placed substantially outside of the footprint of the computer display ground plane. In one implementation, the auxiliary ground element is configured not to have electrical connections to the ground plane of the laptop. In another implementation, a solid state switch selectively connects an antenna parasitic element to the main ground thus enabling selective control of the antenna lower frequency operating band.